Nonmedical Rx Opioid Use in Teens Linked to Parental Use

Unique associations with adolescent NMPO use seen for parental lifetime smoking, parent-teen conflict

MONDAY, Feb. 25, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Nonmedical prescription opioid (NMPO) use in adolescents is associated with parental NMPO use and with smoking and parent-adolescent conflict, according to a study published online Feb. 25 in Pediatrics.

Pamela C. Griesler, Ph.D., from Columbia University in New York City, and colleagues examined the correlation between self-reported parental and adolescent lifetime NMPO use using data for 35,000 parent-child dyads with an adolescent aged 12 to 17 years.

The researchers found that parental NMPO use was correlated with adolescent NMPO use after they controlled for other factors (adjusted odds ratio, 1.3; 95 percent confidence interval, 1.09 to 1.56). There was a stronger correlation for mothers’ use than fathers’ use with adolescent use (adjusted odds ratio, 1.62 [95 percent confidence interval, 1.28 to 2.056] versus 0.98 [95 percent confidence interval, 0.74 to 1.24]). There was no difference in the associations between parent and adolescent NMPO use by adolescent sex or race and/or ethnicity. Unique associations with adolescent NMPO use were seen for parental lifetime smoking, low monitoring, and parent-adolescent conflict (adjusted odds ratios, 1.19 to 1.24); adolescent smoking, marijuana use, depression, delinquency, and perceived schoolmates’ drug use were also associated with NMPO use (adjusted odds ratios, 1.25 to 1.71).

“Parent-based interventions targeted at NMPO use among youth should not only address parental NMPO use but should also promote positive parenting practices, such as monitoring and reduced conflict,” the authors write.